Glass-runway construction for windows



June 1 9, 1928. l

v E. A. wETzEL GLAss RuNwAY CONSTRUCTION Fon wINDows Filed Dee. 27, 1923 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 'lill Patented June 19, was. l .Y

U N 1r E D sA s BODY CORPORATION, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

GLASS-RUNWAY,CoNsTnUc'rroN Fon WINDows.

Application led December27, 1923. Serial No. 682,899. l y

This invention relates to glass runway construction for windows, and more particularly to a glass runwayconstruction for the-sashless windows of automobile bodies or automobile doors.

`Window constructions now in vogue for automobile bodies require that the window glass and the 'runway therefor,which is usually -felt or similar material, be installed before the trimming is applied and consequently before the final coat of finishing varnish, which is put on after the trimming lhas been applied. This varnish is apt to gum'up and dirty the runway and glass, necessitating the subsequent cleaning of these parts. Moreover, these constructions do not permit replacement ofa runway without removing the' trimming material or other parts ofthe body or door construction at the well portion. Usually the runways are mounted rigidly in place and are not adapted to compensate for variations in the dimensions of the window glass, with t-he result that an oversize glass is apt to be held too tightly and an undersize glass is apt to be held too loosely. v

The principalobjectof my invention is to avoid the above objectionable features and diiiiculties. More particularly, the objects of my invention linclude the provision of glass runway construction for windows having wells, which permits of the application of trimming and the final painting and varnishing of the automobile Abody or door before installation of the runways and glass, and permitting installation in such a way as to leavea cleanl andl finished installation without` requiringv supplementary cleaning of the window glass or runway felt, and a construction which permits of the ready and veasy replacementof the runway felt without requiring trimming material or otherv elements to be removed from the parts adjacent the wellof the window. A further object of my inventionv is to provide a glass runway construction comprising felt, w or similar material, so incorporated that theV felt will not bind or bunch or pull out of place, and a construction which will enhance the smooth and easy manipulationy of the window; A further object of my invention is to provide a glass runway construction for windows .which is self-compensating for variations in the dimensions of vthe window glass. A Other objects of my invention vwill be inpart obvious and-'in vpart pointed out hereinafter. Y

In accordance with my invention, I providel forl use in windows such as are customarily found in automobile bodies and doors and whereinl the window is adapted to be lowered into a'closed well, channeled runoaFFIcE. i

EDWARD A. wEfrznL, or ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN, Assis-Non cro` THE AMERICAN Moron way strips, preferably of resilient material, such as felt or rubber, having metallic attachment strips secured along their rear sides, preferably v coextensivetherewith. Below the glass line or belt rail e-ach runway strip vis adapted to slidablyy seatin a channeled retaining member which is secured to a post or pillar, with the runway attachment strips slidably interlocking-with the retaining member, whereby .t-he runway is removably associated therewith. Above the glass lineor belt. rail the runwayis adapted to be confined between flanges ofl the inner garnish or finishing mouldings and outside panel, and the runway attachment `strip is adapted to interlock with one of thesemouldings to'hold the runway inplace.

The attachment strip isadapted to yield in the plane of the window to compensate for` variations in the sizes of window glass.

Y In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of my invention. Referringl to the-drawings, Fig.. l isa side View of a fragment of an automobile body having a. doorwith a window' therein; Fig.2 is a sectional View of the same and is taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. '3 is a. horizontal sectional View.. through oneedge kof the door and is taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar view but is taken on the line 4 -4 'of Fig.` 2; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through an edge of adoor below the glass line or belt rail, showing a modified glass runway construction; and Fig.'6 is a .view similar to Fig. v5 butshows the modified construct-ionabove the glass line orbelt rail. 4 Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an automobile body l having a door 2 provide-d with a window 3, 'equipped with suitable mechanism 4 for lowering the widow glass 5 into the well 6 and forraisingthel window glass across the window opening 7. Along each side of the window and well is apost 8,.which may be either wooden or metallic. l,Along each side ofthe window is a. runway strip 10, preferably composed of yielding material, such as felt, rubber, or the like, each strip having a channel groove 11 in which an edge of the window pane is slidably seated. Along the rear of each runwav strip 10 lpreferably securearesilient,

metallic attachment strip 12, as by means ofi split. r1vets'13. Means are rovided for detachably securing and. retaining theV r`imways 12?.-in proper .position along the sides ofthe window andwellboth above and. below the-glasslineor belt rail: 14. To this endlr secure a: retaining'member 15 tofeach post 8,. the members 15,A however, prefer ablyextending only tothe. glass `line orbelt rail. Each member. 15 is channel shaped1 having its baseI 16 secured toa post 8 by means .ot screws 17 or the like, and having the outer portions 18'of its spaced side walls extending parallel with the well opening and adapted.' to slidably receive a. runway stiipi-l() between them. AXt-.the inner/ends of` wall port-ions 18the retaining pieces 15 are shaped to present inwardly extending shoulder portions19 and v201which. seat beli'ind the runway. members 10, and then to extend toY the onteredges of the base v16 in such a way asr to form. interior grooves 21 and 22 along opposite sides of the member 15. The edgeportions of the attachment strip 12 are bent away and offset from the runway strip 10 so as to permit the seatingvof. the rear edge portions of the runway vstrip-10 against the shoulders 19 and 20.1. One edge portion 23 of.. each attachment strip 12 .is adapted to s'lidably interlock bey hind-a shoulder19 and in a, groove 21and the opposite edge portioni24. of.' each attachment vstrip is adapted to slidably interlock behind a shoulder 2()v and in a groove 22.

The runway strip 10-is thus held from pulling' away from the pillar` or post and against movement transverse of the` plane of the well` but is slidable vertically in ther plane of the` window,lthus permitting easy andl quiclrron'ioval and replacement. of the runways in tliesei'etaining members.

The runway members 1() and their attachment strips 12 preferably extend. the fullrun of the window glass. Above the belt rail 14, and for -tlie entire. height of the glassnon each side of the window, the inetalstrip 12 islheld from pulling away fronr the post or Apillar 8 by the inside garnish or` finislr ing moulding 25 which is fastened to a post 8 in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 26. The mouldingportion 25 has a flange 27 parallel 'with the plane of the window opening beneath which the edge 23. of the member 12'is adapted to slidably eX- te-nd. The outer portion of flange 27 constitutes a. retaining llai'ige forthe felt chan-v nel member 10 .along one side. .A flange 28 of the outside panel 29 constitutes a retain- 'ing flange against the voppositeside. of the member 10. Beyond the flange28 the panel 29 is preferablyv provided with` a flange 3() which fits against a post 8 and beneath the edge- 24C` of`- a str-ip 12.- Flange 30 may be secured to the post 8 by means of screws 31 orjthe like.; Y'

As shown in Figs. 5 andt, insteadof constructing member 12 so that the edgeportion 23 thereof will be positioned parallel with and closely against the basey 16 of the retaining member, the groove 21 of member l'may be widened, as shown at 21. inFig., 5, and a portion. 23, ofv member 12 may beV inclinedfwith respectto the base 16. Also. the edge portion 24 of such member 12` l may be arranged'to be spaced from .the base 16 of the retaining channel. Above. the belt rail 14s, however, the outer edge por-l tion of member 12 may be made parallel with the surface of post 8,'asat- 32,jtoesta.b.

lish a satisfactory slidabler seating of thev edgeof member 12 beneath the inner wall 27 ot the mouldingpiece25. Y Y

ln installing a glass runway ofthe conf structions described, the channel retaining i members 15 or 15 may be lirstcompletcly painted, `varnished, and finished` before. attachment to the posts. The, retaining strips V`12` or 12 may also. be completely painted, varnisl'ied and finished before being attached to the. runway strips 10. v,The run ways may be appliedbelow the glass line or belt Vrail by. merely sliding the tongues on each side of the attachment stripsinto the grooves provided therefor inthe retaining` channel members The inside garnish or finish mouldings 25 andV outside panel 29 may then be applied, or, if desired,.one or both of these members may have 4beenap-A plied previously, in which case,.howe'ver,.in implyingV the attachment. strips, theirk edges 23 or 23 are inserted beneath the lend of thekr inside moulding` strip 25. The window glass y5 is inserted in` the channel 11 provided therefor in the runway. strips 10, and,` if necessaryor desired, the attachments are made-tothe windowl regulating mechanism 4. .It will be obvious that the felt runway channel members maybe removed and replaced without requiring the removal of.y

ion

liv-f5 reenforced and stidened along the entire length and is'so held that it will not bind or bunch or pull away from the body pillar or door post or become displaced in other ways, even when wet, thus enhancing the easy and smooth operation of the windowV regulator mechanism, and incidentally increasing its life by eliminating resistance occasioned by the binding or bunching or displacement of the felt. It is also to be noted that the yielding and resilient man- 'ner of mounting the runway strips in place renders the construction self-compensating to variations in the size of the window pane.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely diderent embodiments of thisinvention couldv be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is l. In window construction, the combination with a side frame member of a retain-` ing member secured to said framer member, a runway member for window glass, and an attachment strip secured to said runway member and slidably interlockingV with said retaining member, whereby said runway member is detachably retained along a side of the window, said retaining member having vertical interior grooves and the edges of said attachment strip being odset troni the runway and being slidably disposed in said grooves. Y

2. In window construction, in combination, a runway member, and a strip of resilient metal secured along a line intermediate its side edges to the rear of the runwayy member, the side edges of said strip being odset rearwardly from said runway member, said strip constituting a resilient backing and attachment means or said runway member.

3. In window construction, the combination with a side frame member, of a retaining member secured to said frame member, a runway member -for window glass, and an attachment strip secured to said runway member and having an edge portion odset from the runway member and slidably interlocking with said retaining member, whereby said runway member is detachably retained along a side of the window, said retaining member having walls extending in planes parallel with the plane of the window and seated against opposite sidesof said runway member.

4. In window construction, thel combination with a side frame member, of a retaining member secured to said frame member., a runway member for window glass, and an attachment strip secured to spa-id runway member and having an edge portion. odset vfrom the runway member andslidably interlocking with said retaining member, whereby said runway member is detachably retained along a side of the window, said retaining member having walls lextending in planes parallel with and adjacent to the plane of the window and seated against opposite sides of said runway member and having shoulder port-ions seated behind said runway memiber.

5. In a window, including a window opening and a well beneath the opening, and awindow frame upright along said opening and well,`a runway member for window glass, an attachment strip secured to the runway member and having an edge portion odset rearwardly therefrom, and retainers secured to said upright adj acentthe' window opening and well overlapping and engaging said odset edge of the attachment strip, whereby the runway member is held.

to said upright. ,I

6. In a window, including a window opening and a wellbeneath the opening, and a window vframe uprightalong said opening and well, a runway member forV window glass, an attachment strip secured to the runway member and having its opposite edge portions odset rearwardly therefrom, retainers secured to-said upright adj accnt the well and overlapping both of said odset edges of the the attachment strip, a

'retainer secured to said upright adjacentthe window opening overlapping one of the odset edges of the attachment strip, whereby the runway member is held to said upright.

7. In a window, including a vwindow opening and a well beneath the opening, and a window frame upright along said opening and well, a runway member orwindow glass, an attachment strip secured to the runway member and having its opposite edge portions odset rearwardly therefrom, retainers secured to said upright adjacent the well and overlapping both odset edges of the attachment strip, a retainer secured to said upright adjacent the window open.- ing overlapping one of the odset edges of the attachment strip, whereby the runway member is held to said upright, the retainer adjacent the window opening being separately removable from the. window to .permit the removal of the runway member from the window.

This vspeciiication signed this 17th day of December, 1923.

EDWARD A. WETZEL; 

